After Mubarak: The Autumn of the Patriarchs
THE ECONOMIST: A generational change of mentality may bring fresh hope to the entire region

Photograph: The Economist
SEMINAL moments in revolutions do not come at nicely spaced intervals, but in a bewildering cascade. The accelerating rush of events leading to the abrupt downfall of Egypt’s president, Hosni Mubarak, came so cluttered with markers signifying radical change that their deeper implications can be hard to discern. The country’s streets have now calmed, with the army in charge of a wobbly interim government. But the smallest happenings in Cairo still reverberate with new meanings, not only for Egypt but for the surrounding region.

One such little scene with big implications played out some 36 hours after Mr Mubarak’s exit, when two top generals from the military council now ruling Egypt hosted a chat with some of the youthful campaigners whose organisational genius, to their own surprise as much as anyone’s, finally toppled Mr Mubarak on February 11th. In a Facebook post, the visitors described the meeting as encouraging. Not only did the generals, both in their early 60s, affirm the army’s commitment to the goals of the revolution, including a swift transition to democracy under civilian rule. They also showed “unprecedented respect for the opinions of young people”.

For Egyptians inured to rigid hierarchies of class and age, this last point was telling. Only a week before, as huge demonstrations engulfed the country, Mr Mubarak’s short-termed vice-president, the dour ex-head of intelligence, Omar Suleiman, had infuriated young Egyptians by suggesting that the protesters’ parents should tell them to go home. His prime minister, Ahmed Shafik, when pressed to apologise for a murderous attack on unarmed protesters by paid pro-Mubarak thugs, promised sarcastically to send the victims chocolates and sweets. >>> | Thursday, February 17, 2011 from PRINT EDITION

As Some Young Muslims Turn to Radicalism, Concern Grows
THE NEW YORK TIMES: FRANKFURT — Before Abi left her parents’ house in northern Germany last year, she asked her father, “Daddy, what can I bring you from my journey?” He looked up from his book and answered, “Some perfumed oil.” “Will do,” she said, hugging him goodbye.

He is still waiting, more than a year later, for her to return.

Abi, now 23, and her husband never made the trip they said they had planned to Saudi Arabia to visit Mecca and Medina. Instead they became part of a growing number of young Muslims from Germany and other European countries who travel to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region, eventually ending up in the camps of groups affiliated with Al Qaeda or the Taliban.

One German man, Eric Breininger, was later reported killed in a battle with Pakistani troops.

A Turkish-language Web site announced that in recent days nine foreign fighters were killed as they traveled to carry out operations with the Taliban. Two of them were identified as Germans, from Bonn and Berlin.

Others have been arrested on a variety of charges. In one case, several people were convicted of planning attacks against American military facilities in Germany.

Intelligence officials are concerned that the young people, most in their 20s, will be used by the militants for propaganda purposes or trained to take up arms. They also worry that some will slip back into Germany to recruit others or to join sleeper cells and ultimately commit acts of terrorism.

“This is a very dangerous situation and German security services are very nervous about it,” said Guido Steinberg, terrorism expert of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin. “Al Qaeda and other organizations have put Germany on their target priority list as one of the top places.” >>> Souad Mekhennet | Friday, July 30, 2010

A Load of Balls from Ed Balls! Now Young Muslims Will Get Direct Access to Cabinet Ministers!
Photo of Ed Balls courtesy of the Daily Express. He believes that Muslims are often “greatly misrepresented”.
It’s high time for this ridiculous, dangerous government to be put out to graze! The bloody lot of them! This government clearly believes in rewarding the trouble-makers, while it assiduously ignores the good people in the community who just go about their daily lives without causing trouble. In the new Britain, it seems that the more noise a community makes, the more attention it gets, the more money is thrown at them, the more concessions they get. As the old saying goes: It’s the sqeaking gate that gets the oil.

The fact that Islam is trying to destroy Western civilization, only to replace it with a dark-age mentality and barbarism seems totally to have passed these tossers by.

Gordon, your colour is YELLOW! And it's the colour of all those who serve you. - ©Mark

DAILY EXPRESS: YOUNG Muslims will get direct access to Cabinet Ministers in a £1.3million “community cohesion” initiative, it emerged yesterday.

The new Young Muslim Advisory group is the brainchild of Children’s Secretary Ed Balls and Communities Secretary Hazel Blears.

But a row erupted last night over the appointment to it of a member of the Socialist Worker Party.

Also, the Government was forced to admit that there were no similar groups for Christians, Jews or Hindus.

Tory cohesion spokeswoman Baroness Sayeeda Warsi blasted the group as yet another example of Labour’s “state multiculturalism” which she said fostered a “divided Britain”.

Outrage centred on the appointment of Sabiha Iqbal, 17, to the group.

She is a member of the tiny Trotskyite sect that has “expressed solidarity” with Hezbollah terrorists, while trying to forge links with hardline British Muslims.

Ms Iqbal, from Bradford, is studying at Leeds university.

Last night Ms Blears defended inviting her appointment. She said: “If you don’t want to change the world at 17, that’s a shame. This group is made up of people with a wide range of beliefs. Getting them around a table to talk is all about democracy in action.”

Mr Balls said he had hope for Ms Iqbal as a “role model”. Ms Iqbal believes Muslims are often “greatly misrepresented” and says she wants to support a diverse community through “understanding, acceptance and empathy”. Muslims Get £1.3m Hotline to Cabinet >>> By Gabriel Milland, Political Correspondent | October 8, 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Dust Jacket Hardcover, direct from the publishers (UK) >>>
The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Paperback, direct from the publishers (UK) >>>

British Citizenship Lessons for Young Muslims
Hazel Blears is at it again! Teaching young Muslims British citizenship will not keep them away from Islamic extremism, as hoped. Islam is an extreme religion. There will always be a propensity for adherents to the faith to become more extreme the more devout they become.

To try and teach these young people that there is no conflict between Islam and British values is so blatantly untrue that it is absurd!

When are we going to get a government in this country which will protect the British people and their values? - ©Mark

Photo of Muslims at prayer courtesy of The Times
TIMESONLINE: Muslim children will be taught British citizenship in mosque schools as part of a Government attempt to keep them away from the influence of Islamist extremism.

A trial of the new lessons will begin in several cities at the start of the new school year in September, according to Hazel Blears, the Communities Secretary.

The initiative, designed to show young Muslims that there is no conflict between their religion and being British, is part of a package of measures being published today.

It also includes a new independent board of academic and theological experts, and a group of community leaders to advise on local responses to tackling extremism. British Citizenship Lessons for Young Muslims >>> | July 18, 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Dust Jacket Hardcover, direct from the publishers (UK) >>>
The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Paperback, direct from the publishers (UK) >>>